Smitten® apples are a product of the world-class breeding program at Plant and Food Research of Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, the same program that produced most of the commercially successful patented apple varieties currently on the market, including: Jazz™, Envy™, and Pacific Rose™.

Smitten® trees are:

• Robust growers that arehealthy and sustainable• Naturally resistant to many pests and diseases• Prolifically productive without excessive training or manipulation

Smitten® apples are being grown in North America with efficient and environmentally friendly practices and are cultivated specifically for uniquely superior taste, crunch, and consistency.

Plant and Food Research in New Zealand began trials in 2005 with breathtaking results, determined by rigorous and extensive benchmarks designed to measure commercial potential of new varieties. In 2008, New Zealand began commercial planting of the variety and has exported worldwide from mature orchards since April 2013. The reaction has been powerfully positive with both retailers and consumers.

Research & Strategy...

Pegasus Premier Fruit, the exclusive licensee for production and distribution in the United States and Canada, makes maximum use of scientific research around the globe to guide farming, storage, and shipping strategies. All scientific and horticultural advice is from college-based experts around the world who specialize in plant biology and are supported by extensive research.

Pegasus works directly with researchers from Plant and Food Research in New Zealand. Dr. Stuart Tustin, Dr. Ben Van Hoojidonk, and Dr. Ken Breen are acknowledged, international experts who personally advise the Pegasus management team.

Research from New Zealand and France also help shape the strategies in our orchards, such as using artificial spur extinction and precision crop management to maximize quality of production with minimal inputs. These farming strategies manage a tree's natural tendency to produce quality fruit simply, naturally, and cost-effectively.

There are substantial acres of young Smitten® trees being managed as organic orchards. The balance is managed with non-traditional methods that emphasize integrated pest management and make maximum practical use of natural biological controls including natural predator control.